Tag Archives: Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins, who landed in headlines for a rehab stint this year, made a surprise appearance on stage at the Grand Ole Opry Tuesday night to perform “Kiss You All Over” with Exile.

The event was his first public appearance following his unexpected departure from a Florida rehabilitation center. Adkins checked into the facility in January to seek treatment for alcoholism following a slip in his sobriety. He left two weeks later to be with his father in his final days and then returned to complete the program following his father’s passing, said Adkins' publicist Tiffany Shipp.

Shipp said Adkins had been back in Nashville for “a week or two” when Exile’s Sonny LeMaire texted a mutual friend and asked if Adkins would perform “Kiss You All Over” with the band on the Opry. The song was a pop hit for “Exile” in the 1970s and Adkins recorded it with the group for his 2013 album “Love Will…”.

“The next thing I know, Trace says, ‘It’s a great idea, I’d love to do it,’” LeMaire recalled. “That’s a simple as it was.”

LeMaire said Adkins was excited to be at the Opry with Exile and that he hung out with band members in the dressing room before taking the stage.

“(Adkins) looked like a million bucks,” LeMaire said. “He has lost weight. He’s toned up. He was smiling. Trace Adkins was smiling and grinning from ear to ear. He said he feels great. It was good.”

The group performed “Give Me One More Chance” and “People Get Ready” before singer J.P. Pennington told the audience that Exile had a friend who would join the group on the last song.

“(Adkins) walked out and when the audience realized who it was, they went crazy,” LeMaire said. “The audience was standing up, they were applauding and they were yelling. You could tell that Trace was really gratified and humbled. He was happy to be on stage. He was on stage with friends. It was a wonderful thing.”

Trace Adkins’ publicist confirmed reports on Monday that the country singer’s father Aaron Adkins has died.

Trace Adkins wrote in his 2007 autobiography “A Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck” that his father retired in 2007 from International Paper Company “after forty-something years working at the corrugating plant making cardboard.”

An altercation on a cruise ship with a Trace Adkins impersonator was a trigger for the singer to seek treatment.

Adkins, a winner of NBC's reality TV show “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice,” is known for hits including “You’re Gonna Miss This” and "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk." Adkins, a member of the Grand Ole Opry, has been open about his previous struggles with alcoholism.

Country star Trace Adkins left a rehab facility in Florida on Tuesday to be with his ailing father who is seriously ill.

Adkins checked into a center to seek treatment for alcoholism about two weeks ago following a slip in his sobriety, which he had maintained for more than decade. An altercation on a cruise ship with a Trace Adkins impersonator was a trigger for the singer to seek treatment.

Before the Louisiana native left to join his family at his father’s side, he asked staff at the facility to put him in touch with counselors near his father.

The country singer a winner of NBC's reality TV show “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice” and is known for hits including “You’re Gonna Miss This” and "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk." Adkins, a member of the Grand Ole Opry, has been open about his previous struggles with alcoholism.

“Trace has entered a treatment facility after a setback in his battle with alcoholism. As he faces these issues head-on, we ask that his family’s privacy will be respected.”

The “You’re Gonna Miss This” singer last entered rehab at the end of 2002 after his family staged an intervention. He previously told GAC’s “Backstory”: “I was getting to the point where I was poisoning myself (by drinking so much),” he said.

Click the photo about for a gallery from the 2013 American Country Awards. Here, Brian Kelley, left, and Tyler Hubbard, center, of musical group Florida Georgia Line accept the single of the year award for "Cruise" onstage at the American Country Awards at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013, in Las Vegas. (Photo: Frank Micelotta / Invision / AP)

By Hilary Billings

Special for USA TODAY

LAS VEGAS -- The 4th annual American Country Awards, hosted by NASCAR driver Danica Patrick and country superstar Trace Adkins, broadcast live from the Mandalay Bay Resort Tuesday night. Full of lighthearted fun, shocking surprises and touching tributes, we've rounded up the best moments of the night. Consider this your country cheat sheet.

The duo walked away with the most guitars of the evening, collecting six wins including artist of the year, best new artist and single of the year. After a pyro-packed performance of "Stay," Florida Georgia Line confessed they're not sure how they're going to top this year's success. "Our fans have blown us away with their loyalty and their support. Just the love that's in the room is awesome."

In this May 11, 2013 file photo, driver Danica Patrick high fives fans during driver introductions before the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup series auto race at Darlington Raceway, in Darlington, S.C. New country music fan Patrick will co-host the American Country Awards Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013, on FOX with Trace Adkins. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - When her agent pitches a new project, Danica Patrick usually makes her decisions on the spot - yes or no - with little hesitation. When the producers of the American Country Awards called and asked if she'd co-host the show, the NASCAR driver took her foot off the gas pedal.

"This is one of the first things where I said, 'You know, let me think about that,'" Patrick said. "I just was nervous about doing it, and I kind of wanted to get a few people's opinion: Do you think I can handle this? But they made me feel really comfortable. A few months ago I met with the producers and they said it's going to be easy and you're going to have fun with it. Hopefully they're right."

Patrick will find out when she co-hosts the live Fox broadcast (8 p.m. EST) Tuesday night in Las Vegas with Trace Adkins. Taylor Swift leads all nominees with eight, while Blake Shelton and Florida Georgia Line are up for seven apiece during the fourth annual awards show.

Further evidence that contemporary country is just '90s pop-rock with a twist: Two '90s radio favorites -- Sheryl Crow and Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker are the first two performers announced for next month's American Country Awards (Dec. 10, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Fox).

The song they'll sing hasn't been announced, but Crow appears on a ballad called "Love Without You" on Rucker's "True Believers" album.